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Mercedes Group anticipates generating an upper level single digit % gain in productivity this year and may be in quest of a location for a new European factory and is escalating smart production.
Once the build for the US market is underway, the Hambach plant in France is expected to see its maximum annual capacity rise to between 125,000 and 140,000upa from around 105,000 at present, but the cars may be sold at a loss, he added.
This supply and demand predicament puzzles me?
How is it they could (smartUSA/Penske, smart GmbH and the DaimlerChrysler Group could not identify, what the U.S. market would support?
They had their test market Canada. When smart car GmbH began selling the cars in Canada; they estimated the first years sales would be less that 1000. Read More
In less than 3 years they have sold over 10,000 Smarts. The formula for Canadian car sales compared to America car sales is times 10.
They also had marketing support from the "Gray Car Market." In May of 2005 Zap tried to order 76,500 Smart cars from smart car GmbH and
DaimlerChrysler Group totaling the sum of $1.03 billion. Read More
Zap, had held talks with smart car GmbH officials in Germany on March 21, 2005. On May 24, it (ZAP) placed a purchase order directly to the smart car GmbH and DaimlerChrysler Group.
The order for 76,500 Smart cars was over one half of smart's total sales for the prior year.
One thing is undeniable having an inventory of 20,000 2008 Smart cars for the 2008 model year is inadequate, unfortunate planning or a great marketing technique?
Once the build for the US market is underway, the Hambach plant in France is expected to see its maximum annual capacity rise to between 125,000 and 140,000upa from around 105,000 at present, but the cars may be sold at a loss, he added.
This supply and demand predicament puzzles me?
How is it they could (smartUSA/Penske, smart GmbH and the DaimlerChrysler Group could not identify, what the U.S. market would support?
They had their test market Canada. When smart car GmbH began selling the cars in Canada; they estimated the first years sales would be less that 1000. Read More
In less than 3 years they have sold over 10,000 Smarts. The formula for Canadian car sales compared to America car sales is times 10.
They also had marketing support from the "Gray Car Market." In May of 2005 Zap tried to order 76,500 Smart cars from smart car GmbH and
DaimlerChrysler Group totaling the sum of $1.03 billion. Read More
Zap, had held talks with smart car GmbH officials in Germany on March 21, 2005. On May 24, it (ZAP) placed a purchase order directly to the smart car GmbH and DaimlerChrysler Group.
The order for 76,500 Smart cars was over one half of smart's total sales for the prior year.
One thing is undeniable having an inventory of 20,000 2008 Smart cars for the 2008 model year is inadequate, unfortunate planning or a great marketing technique?